When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they’ll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. OurPrivacy Noticeexplains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time.

A second planning inquiry over controversial plans for build more than 1,000 new homes on the rolling green hills of Wolborough is set to take place.

The outline scheme, submitted by PCL Planning on behalf of the Rew family, would see 1,210 new homes built at Wolborough Barton.

A new primary school, employment land, community facilities, including a day nursery and a health centre, a local shopping centre, play area, allotments and a multi-use games area, as well as a link road connecting the A380 and the A381, are also part of the plans.

Read More

Related Articles

Government planning inspector Frances Mahoney is set to write a report based on the evidence she heard during the inquiry before making a recommendation of either approval or refusal to the Secretary of State, who will make the final decision on the scheme. A decision is not expected to be reached before the end of the year.

Teignbridge District Council’s planning committee in February unanimously rejected PCL Planning’s duplicate application for the 165-acres of farmland.

Most Read

Concerns over how the scheme would impact of the South Hams Special Area of Conservation, the lack of early delivery of the link road, the inadequate protection for the Wolborough Fen, and there being no adequate mechanism for securing necessary Section 106 Obligations led to the scheme being thrown out.

The Wolborough Masterplan

There had been 350 objections to the application, compared to just one letter of support.

Read More

Related Articles

Just days though before the six month period for the developers to appeal expired, one has been lodged with the planning inspectorate and a public inquiry will be held in 2020 to determine the application.

It is set to last for six days, starting on January 28, 2020, and any members of the public wishing to submit their comments to the inquiry, either for or against the development, must do so by November 11, 2019. The council has the same date by when they must submit their statement of case.

Newton Says No Campaigners

A statement of case, published by PCL Planning, explaining why the appeal should be allowed, states that their plans do accord with the Local Plan in which the NA3 development site lies.

Read More

Related Articles

It says: “While there are minor variations between the proposal and the provisions of NA3, we conclude that the extent and nature of those variations is such that, when read as a whole, the proposal is in accordance with the Local Plan.

“The proposal will deliver significant benefits. These include the delivery of much needed market and affordable homes, care home provision, a primary school, mixed use local centre, employment opportunities, community facilities, public open space and ecological enhancement.

“The site is sustainably located adjacent to the existing urban area and is within walking distance of local services and the Newton Abbot Railway Station. The ecological investigations that have been carried out demonstrate that there will be no impact upon integrity of the South Hams SAC, nor the Wolborough Fen SSSI, and the development of the site would be acceptable in landscape terms.”

Devon gets romantic

When the plans were unanimously refused in February, Sam Watson, a professional ecologist on behalf of the Wolborough Residents Association and Abbotskerswell Parish Council, told the committee there were significant fundamental flaws in the application over the unproven impact on the South Hams Special Area of Conservation, the impact on Greater Horseshoe Bats, and the Wolborough Fen SSSI.

Aerial view of Wolborough Barton, Newton Abbot (Image: Google)

Cllr Jackie Hook proposed that the application be refused as the application lacked so much. She said that the lack of protection that this provided for the Wolborough Fen SSSI, the need to get the Wolborough Development Plan in place, and the lack of a habitat regulation assessment that had not been provided.

Read More

Related Articles

She said: “Everything with this is wrong. The number of houses, the layout, the form. I don’t accept even where the houses are as we don’t know the mitigation will be required. To make a decision today risks a legal challenge and I strongly recommended that this is refused.”

Cllr Colin Parker described the land as quintessential countrywide and that if approved, the outlook of residents would go from rolling green hills to a concrete jungle. He said: “This farmland and countryside would be changed forever if this goes ahead. Wildlife would be affected and it cannot be truly mitigated, especially within the Fen.”